Cessna U206F accident near Lk Havasu City, Arizona, February 2, 1988
On February 2, 1988 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna U206F, registered N60566, was destroyed in an accident near Lk Havasu City, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE FLIGHT IN FORECAST MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN AN AVIATION WEATHER BRIEFING AND HIS LACK OF RECURRENT TRAINING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 2, 1988 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lk Havasu City, Arizona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206F · all U206Fs on the register
- Registration
- N60566 · no longer on the register · serial U20602033
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 878 hours in all; 822 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 822 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,261 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 13, 1987; 185 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RYN Ryan AZ at 7:00 pm
- Destination: LHW Lk Havasu City AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from LHU, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.